Romeo and Juliet in the Eyes of Newsies
by racesgurl52787
Summary: chapter 2 is up! Basically, I've done the common put newsies in Shakespeare thing. Enjoy! *R/R*
1. Cast List

Hey everyone!!! Ok, I just got this idea and I had to do it, because Romeo and Juliet is my FAVORITE Shakespeare play EVER! Enjoy!

This chapter is just an introduction to the play, such as cast, etc. And I'm going to use some of my original characters from A Little Bit of Luck (so if you want to know more about those characters, then READ IT!).

Cast:

*Note: Some newsies are playing more than one part. So basically I just combined the parts, don't think of them as two different people. Also, non-speaking roles are Bold and Italicized. 

**Chorus:** Jack Kelly****

**The Montagues: **The Jacobs****

**Romeo: **David

**Montague: **Mr. Mayer Jacobs (Jacobs)

**Montague's Wife: **Mrs. Esther Jacobs (Esther)

Benvolio: Mush

**Balthazar** (_Romeo's serving man_):Kid Blink

**Sampson **("): Kid Blink

**Gregory** ("): Racetrack

**_Rosalind:_ **Sarah

*Note: Sampson and Gregory are actually serving men of the Capulets, but it made more sense in this to change it. Sorry Shakespeare!

**The Capulets: **The Dentons

**Juliet:** Bitsy

**Capulet: **Mr.BrianDenton (Denton)****

Capulet's Wife: Mrs. Medda Denton (Medda)

Tybalt: Spot Conlon

_Tybalt's Page: _Boots__

**Capulet's Cousin: **Sikes

Juliet's Nurse: "Patrick's" Mother

**Peter** (_Capulet's serving man_): Crutchy

**Anthony **("): Skittery

**Potpan** ("): Snipeshooter

Serving Man 1: Boots

Serving Man 2: Specs

**Escalus** (_The Prince of Verona_): Teddy Roosevelt

**Mercutio: **Racetrack

_Mercutio's Page: _Les

**County Paris: **Morris Delancy****

**_Paris' Page:_ **Oscar Delancy****

**Friar Laurence: **Kloppman****

**Friar John: **JosephPulitzer (i.e. Friar Joe)****

**An Apothecary: **Weasel****

**Chief Watchman: **William RandolphHearst (i.e. Sergeant Bill)

Watchman 2: Dutchy

Watchman 3:  Itey

Fellow 1: Itey

Fellow 2: Dutchy

Musician 1: Jack

Musician 2: Specs

Musician 3: Boots

_Maskers, Guests, Gentlemen and Supporter's of either House (basically all of the other, not important roles: _Bumlets, Swifty, Snitch, Snoddy, Pie Eater, Jake and other newsies and people in New York.

*This cast is subject to change, but this is a rough sketch of who is who. Chances are the bigger parts will stay the same. If you have any suggestions, please review and tell me!

~Well, what do you think? Is it worth doing? I'm on spring break and I need a project, so tell me what you think of the cast and of the idea in general. Can't wait to hear from you! 


	2. Prologue, Act I scene 1a

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the newsies; as we all know, Disney does. The only character I own is Bitsy.

Hey! Alright, in this, I have basically newsie-fied Romeo and Juliet. Most of the lines are the same, except I just added an accent to them and put some of them in more modern day English.  

Ok, to address some comments made by the reviewers: I know most people would put Jack as Romeo, but to be honest, I don't really like him all that much. At least, not enough to pair with my precious Bitsy. And I figured the whole thing of David already having a family… I thought why not. Now, of course I would have LOVED to cast Racetrack as Romeo, but he is really much to comical for the role, and David is… well… more emotional. 

And also, about the whole Sarah being Rosalind thing… well, she isn't his sister in this… I guess… maybe. Oh well, lets leave it at that for now, but I may change it when I get there. Just trust me on this one: I won't let you down.

But anyway, I noticed after I uploaded the Cast List, some of the bold-ing didn't work, so I hope you can just ignore that little factor… I'll try to fix it later. But here is the beginning of Romeo and Juliet done by newsies, so please turn all pagers and cell phones off and enjoy the show. And remember, _silence is golden. _(Hehe, I'm so funny!!). _Lights go down. _

**Prologue:**

Early in the morning, before sunrise, a boy of about seventeen strolled down the cobblestone street. Only his profile was visible, cowboy hat on his head, standing in shadow beneath a lamppost. As he stood, he began speaking quietly, as if to himself. "Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Manhattan, where we lay our scene," Despite glances from the few passers by, he continued, "From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where newsie blood makes newsie hands unclean." He gradually got louder, his voice then at a normal volume, "From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Doth with their death bury their parents' strife." Now nearly shouting, he attracted a bit of an audience, "The fearful passage of their death-marked love, And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end, naught could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;" He stopped. A crowd had now gathered from near by houses and side streets, obviously curious. Finally acknowledging them, he continued again at his soft tone, "The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend." The sun came up at this instant, and the street was illuminated, revealing a number of people, many children and teenagers, busily making their way through a square, centered around a magnificent statue. The name on the statue's placard read, "Horace Greenly."

**Act I, scene 1:            **

In this square, there were a number of boys, dressed in ripped and dirty clothing, and holding newspapers. A few call out "Extra! Extra!" trying to sell one or two. One boy, adorned with an eye patch, picked up his papers and began to walk, followed by another boy, an Italian about sixteen years old. 

The first, named Kid Blink, exclaimed to the other, "Racetrack, on me word, we'se'll not carry coals." Race replied wittily, "No, for den we should be colliers." 

Trying to think of a quick and clever response, Blink said, "I mean, if we'se in choler, we'll draw." At this, Race chuckled at his next play on words and retorted, "Yea, whiles you live, draw your neck out of collar." 

Blink, being offended as usual, claimed, in an effort to save his dignity, "I strike quickly, if I'se moved." Race smiled and answered, "But you'se ain't quickly moved ta strike." 

The newsie, however, was too preoccupied to answer. Race followed his eye and saw Specs and Snipeshooter, newsies of the house of Denton, their rivals. 

Blink, turning away from them, led Race back to the statue. In explanation, he said, "A dog of da house of Denton moves me." Race, surprised Blink walked away, said curiously, "Ta move is ta stir, and ta be valiant is ta stand. D'erefore, if you'se is moved, you'se runnin' away." 

Recovering from the near encounter, Blink answered, "A dog of dat house'll move me ta stand. I'se will take the wall of any man or maid of Denton's." To which Race wittily replied, "That shows you'se a weak newsie; for the weakest goes to the wall." 

Blink, thinking about this, responds, "Dat's true; and d'erefore women, being da weaker vessels, are ever thrust to da wall. D'erefore I'se will push Denton's men from the wall and thrust his maids to da wall." At that, he gave a proud and defiant look to Race, pleased with his reasoning.

Race responded, "The fight's between our masters, and us d'eir men," reminding Blink of this point.

Brushing this comment aside he replied, "It's all one," before continuing his previous train of thought, "I'se will show myself a tyrant. When I'se have fought wit da men, I'se will be civil wit the maids—I'se will cut off d'eir heads." 

"Da heads of da maids?" Race questioned.

"Yea, da heads of da maids, or d'eir maidenheads. Take it in what sense thou wilt," Blink said, with a tone that implied a double meaning. Race caught it and played off it, saying, "D'ey must take it in the sense that d'ey feel it."

Blink, getting rather cocky now, replied, "Me they'se gunna feel while I'se able ta stand; and it's known I'se a pretty piece of flesh." However, Race saw his friends new found self-confidence and sarcastically muttered, "It's good you ain't fish; if you was, d'en you'se would be some cheap fish." 

Then, Specs and Snipeshooter came around the corner. Race reacted quickly, saying, "Draw ya tool! 'ere come two of Denton's newsies." Blink responded, "My naked weapon's out. Fight! I'll back ya." Race, however, saw through this and replied with a chuckle, "How? Turn ya back and run?" 

Blink, slightly offended replied, "Don't fear me." But Race still was unsure, "What? You stupid or something? I'se don't fear ya!" Blink, after thinking a moment of how to act, quickly said, "Let's get the law on our side; let d'em begin."

Race agreed and said, "I'se'll frown as I walks by, and let d'em take it like d'ey want." Blink corrected, "Naw, like they dare. I'll call 'em scabbers, which is an insult ta d'em if d'ey'll stand it." So as Specs and Snipeshooter passed by, Blink muttered under his breath, "Scab." 

At this, Specs stopped and turned, motioning for Snipeshooter to do the same. The Specs approached Blink and asked, "Did you call us scabs?" To which Blink replied, "I did say scab," obviously avoiding the question. Specs tried again, angrier this time, "Did you call us scabs?" 

Blink turned to Race and asked, "Is da law on our side if I say yea?" To this Race rolled his eyes and replied, "No." Blink then turned back to Specs and said, "No, I did'nt call you a scab; but I did say scab."

Race then rolled his eyes once again and decided to cut to the chase. "Do you fight?" he asked, and Specs replied with self-restraint, "Fight? No." Blink, eager for a good fight, casually said, "well, if ya do, I'se for ya. I'se as good as you." To which Specs replied, "No better." Blink was surprised at this response and stalled by saying, "well…" and looked to Race for his next move. Just then, Race noticed that Mush, a fellow newsie of Jacob's, had come into the square. "Say 'better.' 'ere comes one of Jacob's newsies.

Blink replied to Specs confidently, "Yea, better." Specs, pushed to his last nerve, gave Blink a shove and said, "You lie." Blink, taking the opportunity, replied, "Fight, if you'se are men. Racetrack, give 'em you'se hardest punch." Specs lunged at Blink, who managed to dart out of the way and punch him as he ran. Race was cheering Blink on, as was Snipeshooter to Specs. They began almost a boxing match, swinging punches and trying to get the upper hand. 

Mush saw this and hurriedly tried to part them. He grabbed a stick and tried to use it to get between them as he cried, "Part, fools! Stop fighting. You don't know what you do." Right at this time, however, someone new had entered the square. This newsie was a known fighter and would to anything to protect his men. He was also known for his quick temper. Coming from behind Mush, he called out, cane drawn, "What? You are fighting with these cowardly newsies? Turn Mush! Look at you'se match." 

Mush turned, and, seeing the newsie, he muttered with dread, "Spot…" before trying to ally with him. He begged, "I only keep the peace. Put your cane away, or use it to part these guys with me." Spot, still fiery and enraged exclaimed with a smirk, "What? Drawn, and you talk of peace?" 

Then, suddenly very serious, he continued, "I hate that word as I hate hell, all Denton's and you. Bring it, scabber!" He then lunged toward Mush, who quickly darted out of the way. All of the other newsies made so much noise that other citizens of Manhattan began trying to part the fight, which was gradually growing bigger. 

Denton himself was walking by with his wife Medda, when they heard the racket. Denton, being a reporter, exclaimed to Medda, "What's all that noise? Give me my camera!" Medda, tired of Denton always abandoning her for a fresh story asked, "A crutch, a crutch! Why do you want your camera?" Denton, being preoccupied with the fight, repeated, "My camera, I say!" 

Then, Jacobs entered. Denton saw him and suddenly his mind switched from the story to his long-time rival. "Old Jacobs  is here and flourishes his blade in spite of me," Denton said with an angry passion. Jacobs had, at the same time, caught sight of Denton and cried, "You villain Denton!" He started forward to greet his nemesis, but his wife caught him by the arm and stopped him. Mad, he said to her, "Do not hold me! Let me go!" But she, being just as strong willed as he, replied, "You will not stir one foot to seek a foe."

Just then, there was a sudden panic in the crowd as a few people started crying, "The bulls! It's the bulls!" People started fleeing everywhere, until one voice silenced them all. "Rebellious subjects, enemies of the peace," people began to mutter his name and other things to eachother, "profaners of this neighbor-stained steel-" But he could not be heard for the roar of the crowd had grown so loud again. "It's Roosevelt," some said. Enraged my being cut off, he said frustratedly to the mayor, "Will they not listen?" Then he took a deep breath and shouted, "What, ho!" He continued to exclaim, "you men! You beasts! That quench the fire of your pernicious rage with purple fountains issuing from your vains!" 

Still the crowd was not silent, and this threw the governor into a frenzied rage, "On pain of torture, from those bloody hands throw you mistempered weapons to the ground and hear the sentence of your moved governor!!" At this, everyone fell silent. Roosevelt took a deep breath and continued with less rage, but still just as strictly as before, "Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word by thee, old Jacobs, and Denton, have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets and made Manhattan's citizens cast by their grave beseeming ornaments to wield old partisans, in hands as old, cankered with peace, to part your cankered hate." 

After letting this sink in for a moment, Roosevelt addressed Denton and Jacobs more personally, but still in the company of all of those involved in the fight, "If ever you disturb the quiet of our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. For this time all the rest depart away. You, Denton, shall go along with me; and Jacobs, come you this afternoon, to know our farther pleasure in this case, to old Freetown, our common judgment place." He then looked out at the crowd, most of which were still there, and said sadly, "Once more, on pain of death, all men depart."

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Ok, what do you think?? I know I ended it in the middle of the scene, but it is taking longer to write than I imagined and I wanted to get something down. Please review and give your comments. And yes, there is a reason that only Roosevelt's speech is exactly as Shakespeare wrote it. It gives it a sense of royalty, don't you think? Well, I'll update as soon as possible. Please Review!!! –Maudie (Racesgurl)


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